Chapter 16

1. Chapter 16 Socioemotional Development in Late Adulthood PowerPoints developed by Nicholas Greco IV, College of Lake County, Grayslake, IL (c) 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

2. Erikson’s Final Stage • Integrity versus despair -- reflecting on the past and either piecing together a positive view (integrity) or concluding that one’s life has not been well spent (despair) • Life review is an essential piece of this final stage • Life review -- looking back at one’s life experiences, evaluating them, interpreting and reinterpreting their significance (c) 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

3. Activity Theory • Activity theory -- the more active and involved that older adults are, the more likely they are to be satisfied with their lives • Successful aging is associated with being active, energetic, and productive • Good experience with aging relates to continuing early adult roles or finding substitutes that keep them active and involved (c) 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

4. Socioemotional Selectivity Theory • Socioemotional selectivity theory -- older adults become more selective about their social networks • Spend more time with familiar individuals with whom they have rewarding relationships • Challenges the stereotype that older adults are in emotional despair and isolation (c) 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

5. Selective Optimization with Compensation Theory • Selective optimization with compensation theory -- successful aging is linked with three main factors: selection, optimization, and compensation • selection -- older adults have a reduced capacity and loss of functioning • optimization -- it is possible to maintain performance in some areas through practice and use of new technologies (c) 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

6. Selective Optimization with Compensation Theory • compensation -- becomes relevant when life tasks require a level of capacity beyond the current circumstances • Effective when people pursue successful outcomes (c) 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

7. Stereotyping of Older Adults • Ageism -- prejudice against others because of their age • Increased numbers living longer and healthier serve to debunk the stereotypes • Policy Issues -- health care costs, caring for patients with chronic disease, eldercare (c) 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

8. Eldercare • Eldercare -- physical and emotional caretaking of older members of the family • Traditionally done by middle-aged women in the family • With so many women in the workforce, concern arises regarding who will be the caregivers (c) 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

9. Lifestyle Diversity • Lifestyles of older adults are changing • Married older adults are happier and live longer than those who are single • There are social, financial, and physical consequences of divorce for older adults • Divorce weakens kinship ties • Negative social sanctions for elders who remarry (c) 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

10. Cohabitation • Increasing numbers • Goals are primarily for companionship • Not marrying allows for retention of personal assets (c) 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

11. Older Adult Parents and Their Adult Children • Adult children are an important part of the social network • Gender plays an important role -- adult daughters are more likely to be involved than adult sons • Adult children coordinate and monitor services (c) 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

12. Friendship • People choose close friends over new friends as they grow older • Friends are associated with contentment • Friends may be more important than family in predicting mental health (c) 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

13. Social Convoy Model • Social convoy model -- individuals go through life embedded in a social network of individuals from whom they give and receive social support • Social support enhances coping skills • Being lonely and socially isolated is a significant health risk (c) 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

14. Altruism and Volunteerism • Older adults “give” more frequently than they “take” • Volunteering as an older adult is associated with a number of positive outcomes • higher satisfaction • less depression and anxiety (c) 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

15. Ethnicity • Minority elderly are over-represented among the poor • Double jeopardy -- they face both ageism and racism • History of less education, underemployment, poor housing conditions, shorter life expectancy than Whites • Strong coping mechanisms (e.g., church membership, family support for elders) (c) 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

16. Gender • Elders -- more pronounced in males than females -- become more androgynous • Double jeopardy for older women who face ageism and sexism • Poverty increased for elderly females • Minority females face triple jeopardy -- ageism, sexism, and racism (c) 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

17. Culture • These factors predict status of older adults in a culture • Have valuable knowledge • Control key family/community resources • Permitted to engage in useful functions • Role changes involve more responsibility and authority • Participation in extended family • Respect for older adults may be greater (c) 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

18. Successful Aging • Even with disease, improvements in medicine mean older adults can still lead active constructive lives • Being active is especially important • Success involves perceived control of the environment (self-efficacy) (c) 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.